With Budget setting taking place across schools and the new Services Brochure published yesterday Our Services | IslingtonCS
We are writing specifically on the Computing Online Safety SLA and ask this email is shared with Business Managers and those SLT budget setting.
90% Islington Primary and SEND schools, plus Haringey and Hackney schools subscribe to the Islington Computing SLA and we have decided to remodel the new SLA from April 2023
and reduce the cost of the full package to £1450 for the year. Consulting with schools on priorities, the new SLA, detailed in full here, will focus on
- Brand New SoW website to be published in Summer term 2023, with supporting Progression (inc. EYFS), CPD + OFSTED prep tools,
- Fortnightly Newsletter and associated partnership offers for Digital, Computing and Online safety (see example below)
- Continuous CPD and Flexible ongoing support via termly F2F training ad Online Live drop-in support session , Digital leader meets and community WhatsApp Group
- Whole Community Online safety events and Parent sessions
- Focused lead teacher visit for a targeted term based on action planning and school needs. See Infographic here
*Additional days available on demand
Those schools subscribing to the newsletter only option, we hope this new model will allow schools to engage in more of the options.
Please do contact Katy if you wish to discuss this further. Bw katy 07932767772
From: Potts, Katy <katy.Potts@islington.gov.uk>
Subject: LGBT Month & IWD, Latest Online Safety, Computing News & Ideas for Schools & Families Inc. School Newsletter
Latest Online Safety In The News VR Headsets Safeguarding WarningAnd Child abuse image offences in UK have soared, NSPCC report shows And The Online Harms Bill + Schools
Online Safety Resource of Week Families, Children & young people in the LGBTQ+ community may experience online harms in ways different to their peers.
LGBT+ History Month takes place this February 2023 and excellent resources from Childnet and Internet Matters
Online Safety Free Assembly Offer Thanks to Ambler Primary School for sharing excellent feedback on Cyber Choices – a national referral programme led by the National Crime Agency, developed to assist in the fight against Cyber Crime. For more information, please visit www.met.police.uk/cyberchoices
Edtech Resource of the Week from Institute of Imagination using Scratch! -Imagine Me Imagine You – all about our unique brains and what makes us special – a workshop around self-regulation and coding using SCRATCH to help us regulate our emotions! sign up for this and Save Make Reinvent https://ioi.london/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/iOi-Schools-Programme-Brochure-Summer.pdf (Free kits are delivered)
Reminder of more Classic Edtech Favourites with Free Elements from US teacher video inc. some classics Kahoot, Book Creator, Padlet, BBC Bitesize SeeSaw
#ChatGPT Everyone’s talking about what it means for teaching and learning and thanks to Elena for sharing this podcast
#EmbraceEquity is the theme for International Women’s Day and a narrative which is critical for Computing and STEM, where many Islington Code Clubs do not attract gender balance and girls remain a minority
Well done to Thornhill Primary School for their continued Girls Code Club! LGFL have a great resource on Women in Computing
World Book Day Resources Blog from LGFL and Teach Your Monster To Read + from Open University, the top E-Books
Training Events This Week and Half Term inc. BETT Show, Teach Computing SEND, Maths Co-ord Edtech Event and I Love Computing this Saturday!
Computing CPD Highlight this Saturday – join Islington Lead teachers and Teach Computing, with Phil Bagge and Jane Waite on 25 February Gladesmore Community School, N15 6EB Book here
Supporting SEND in Computing, a one day conferment 27 March – NCCE One day Conference
The BETT Show (*Bring Digital Leaders) returns March * FREE. registration ends 3rd March 2023 and Late registration (4th March 2023 onwards) tickets will incur a £25 fee.
Effective Maths Teaching and Learning Across the Primary Curriculum with Leo Academy Trust Maximising the Role of EdTech (English focus also available on request.
Online Safety and Computing SLA April 2023-24 A remodelled SLA with VFM and Quality First Curriculum and Support at the Heart. 90% Islington Primary and SEND schools, Plus Haringey and Hackney schools too!
Ideas for Online Safety Blurb for School Newsletter for Families + Reminders Great Tech + reach out for Female STEM Volunteers
There is currently an Online Harms bill going through parliament, with urgent calls for the internet to be made safer for children – the NSPCC calls the internet the Wild West
Youtube and TikTok is the daily diet for many children but Managing screentime on these platforms is challenging because of the addictive design features and extreme & dangerous content is easily accessed, with violent and scary video content masked by Early Years friendly titles such as Huggy Wuggy. Just like a Healthy Diet – a digital Diet, “Not No tech but good tech” and platforms like Youtube are like Junk food.
Until the Online Harms bill is passed, parents need to stay very involved with their child’s life Online, just as we do with young children learning to swim or cross the road.
Along with parental controls, parents and carers can stay actively involved the child’s online world – helping choose safe child age apps and sites, playing online games with them,
having regular conversations and setting firm boundaries (e.g. Gaming weekends + Books at Bedtime), as well as physically checking devices regularly.
Parental control and monitoring tools including Google Family Link, Apple ScreenTime and Microsoft Family Safety https://parentsafe.lgfl.net And https://www.internetmatters.org
Free phone helpline for families 7-9pm school nights https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/
Tech For Good – Classics inc. Busythings, DoodleMaths, Cbbc + BBC Bitesize, Plus “Watch This” (Quality TV) https://www.netflix.com/title/81054619 shared in The Week Jnr Magazine Plus Inside Out
And Screen Free Ideas from Islington Libraries Winter Reading Challenge until 28 February, well done to St Joseph for their involvement with this initiative.
** KCSIE emphasises Online Safety is firmly embedded in role of DSL – Resource Reminder for DSL: Updated Template policy examples are available https://national.lgfl.net/digisafe
inc. Online Safety Audit KCSIE asks schools to carry out an annual Online Safety Audit
**Cyber-Security reminder of the excellent resources developed by The Key with important webinar for governors last Autumn term and see article at bottom of email.
Congratulation on Safer Internet Day 2023 and all the schools taking Part in Open Classroom
100s of parents and carers joined Open Classroom Events across Islington Primary Schools during Sprint 1 to celebrate Safer Internet Day Tuesday 7 February. The “bring your family to school” approach for Online safety was spearheaded by Drayton Park and Montem Primary in 2022, with the idea families join Digital Literacy and Online safety lessons in their child’s class, along with exhibitions of learning with technology.
There have been huge turnouts of families with numbers averaging 40-50 parents/carers per school, including events at Pooles Park, St Marys, Vittoria, Copenhagen, Thornhill and Blessed Sacrament.
Importantly, before joining the classrooms, the DSL spoke to families about
- the critical role families play in supporting their child’s use of technology safely – just like crossing the road safely or managing a healthy diet
- the risks online for children with reference to Keeping Children Safe in Education and Content, Contact and Conduct
(There is hope that the Online Harms Bill going though parliament will reduce these risks) - ideas for a balanced digital diet, that popular platforms like TikTok and YT can be dangerous for children and likened to junk food
(Recent OFCOM report highlights a third of five- to seven-year-olds had a social-media profile https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60854885) - examples of great tech to support children’s learning and have fun online safety including Coding, CbbC, BBC Bitesize and Newsround, LGFL Busythings
And the importance of real books at bedtime, quality family mealtimes and no tech in the bedroom using Islington Schools Digital Charter (developed by Ambler Primary School’s parent group)
In addition to the open classrooms, Islington schools were supported by national speakers and experts from the world of computing and technology inc. BBC Presenter Kate Russell, Miles Berry Professor and advisor on the Computing curriculum, Tech companies inc. Three discovery helped deliver additional 20+ workshops for schools and families on Tech For Good and Keeping Safe Online
See #Islingtonschools on twitter and Instagram for examples of these events.
For further information on Safer Internet Day https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2023
And resources for families https://www.internetmatters.org and https://parentsafe.lgfl.net/ and https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety
Priorities for Islington Computing Spring 2 https://islington-gov.j2bloggy.com/Islington-Computing-Online-Safety/primm/
Computing Curriculum – 2022/23 Training focus on T/L Computer Science, Scratch with Phil Bagge based on PRIMM Predict-Run-Investigate-Modify-Make
–Refresh SoW with teachers if needed– Teacher Pack here (including Common Sense Media characters for display, Scheme overview and Islington Digital Charter)
-Refresh PRIMM via Phil’s brilliant units http://code-it.co.uk/video
-Explore and Share the Infographic (shared in teacher pack above group already) to help leaders disseminate including links to Phil’s brilliant videos.
*Key Action is the school needs an educator scratch account, ideally online Scratch 3 to work online.
TOP TIPS to create a Scratch Educator account This account enables you to create classes and individual accounts.
For more information about creating pupil accounts see the FAQ section here
*Access To Busythings. J2E at Home & School: Refreshing USO Accounts
Important for September – How To get your LGFL USO’s for staff and students – watch this simple video here, you have to be a nominated contact to do this. For details on being a nominated contact see here and here and the form for your headteacher to fill in is here.
For Ks1 we also recommend -Set up of WhoAmI – http://whoami.uso.im/no-service.htm
Action Planning for Computing
A comprehensive framework to help you develop an action plan – https://computingqualityframework.org And an example from Kings Cross
And 2simple have a great toolkit for computing leaders https://www.2simple.com/free-stuff/computing-leaders-toolkit
Updated Computing SoW, Inc. New Learning Journey Evidencing of Progress & CPD for staff
Islington Team Elena, Valentina and Pip are constantly updating the Islington SoW to ensure the best content and ease of use. latest Inc:
New Learning Journey Template linked to every unit, to support evidencing progress *See below Portfolios or No Portfolios? – That is the Question!
Islington Computing Framework Mapped to DFE funded Teach Computing Curriculum programme, (comprehensive and Progressive) adapted with local resources inc. LGFL
*Updated units inc. on IT strand of Computing, J2E, Busything *Linked units of work for Computer Science (including Phil Bagge, Barefoot Computing units) And Digital Literacy to RSHE
Audit Staff training needs for Computing and Book Computing Lead teacher consultant support (Contact Katy)
Discuss/Plan with SLT – Digital Leaders and Code Clubs (3-6 week blocks over winter months) And use of Whole School Digital Charter
Book Training Partners To Support Whole School Computing, Digital (across all subjects), Online Safety
Three Discovery Digital Outreach Team work closely with Islington schools. Contact Alan and the team to arrange class workshops
LGfL subscribing schools can receive bespoke support for Teachers/TA/Subject leaders on getting the most out LGFL Resources inc. Busythings
Complete the following form: (Valentina has Apple training arranged with LGFL last this term too)
And technical training sessions are also available for Technicians + Business Managers (Cisco Meraki Systems Manager, Gridstore, Webscreen, Nominated Contact, Adobe Creative Cloud and Safeguarding and Security for technicians.)
Tech We Can champions free tech lesson or assembly – fantastic team of volunteers industry who inspire more young people all around the UK about technology and tech careers, helping to expand young people’s knowledge of all the career options http://ow.ly/Ou0r50IJL30
Ongoing CPD from CAS, LGFL, Teach Computing
- LGFL Extensive Online Training https://www.lgfl.net/training/ inc. Google on-demand series of webinars
Quick Bites from J2E https://www.just2easy.com/news/quick-bites and Book a Zoom with Busythings https://www.busythings.co.uk/book-a-zoom - Computing at Schools communities https://community.computingatschool.org.uk/events
- Teach Computinghave adapted programmes to enable teachers to participate from home https://teachcomputing.org/courses
North London Hub – Herts + Sandringham course for Sept here
Feedback from Recent OFSTED Deep Dives
There have been a number of Ofsted deep dive into computing reported this term, Inc. Islington. The Islington Computing Team have developed comprehensive resources to support Outstanding Curriculum and SoW, Progression and Evidencing Tools, Intent and Implementation statements. Here are Questions which were shared from an Islington School last week.
What do you want children to know by the end of KS2?
How do you know there is ambition for computing?
What scheme do you use and why?
What does computing look like in EYFS?
What training have you had as a leader?
What CPD is offered for staff?
What was the impact of the CPD?
How are SEND catered for in the computing scheme?
How does your scheme cover the NC?
Portfolios or No Portfolios to Provide Evidence for OFSTED? – That is the Question!
In the summer term we spoke to Ofsted Heather Fearn @HeatherBellaF – HMI leading Ofsted’s Curriculum Unit on twitter On Issue Portfolios, floor books etc.
“You do not need to provide ANY special evidence for Ofsted. Simply plan and teach your curriculum. Then “inspection methodology requires that we make our own selections and couldn’t use selections chosen by the school. “All that’s needed is for pupil work to be available for inspectors to look at in whatever form it is stored.”
BUT the issue with Computing is children’s work is stored in multiple cloud platforms – Busythings, scratch, J2E, google classroom and supporting teachers and children with a system to collate outcomes in some way is important, otherwise there is a risk all could get lost in the cloud!
A school had a recent OFSTED with Computing focus and feedback was children forget or lacked speed locating work across multiple online platforms.
We do advise you to develop a system to support children and teachers remembering and accessing their work online in multiple online platforms.
It is down to the schools what system they choose in line with the rest of the curriculum.
Ideas in DFE published this https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-review-series-computing
Schools discussed Google in Y4/5/6 and Floor Books younger year groups.
Plus the role of Displays around the school to further evidence. Systems include:
Portfolios via SeeSaw or GoogleClassroom (cloud systems need to be set-up) Nick Templeton has given examples from SeeSaw here
*Schools did discuss that children like to see their work collated or displayed too and using a cloud option only make have risk of “getting lost”
Portfolios via Physical Floor Books – thanks to Valentina, lead teacher from Lancasterian Primary who shared examples.
Learning Journeys with Key Questions (See photograph)
Our schools like this model + had been trialling idea of self-review questions using questions linked units.
Thanks to Lawrence at Canonbury for sharing starters on this)
This is referenced in DFE doc published last month. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-review-series-computing
Important Reminders for SLT and Governors, Inc. Essential Activity for Technical Support
There have been serious school cyber-attacks in neighbouring boroughs last week, causing schools to close temporarily.
whether related or not – we understand that there have been a number of phishing emails from trusted colleagues (a London teaching hub, who was hacked)
Reminder of resources to share with staff – LGFL’s security.lgfl.net and the latest advice for schools using LGFL including a infographic with steps to take and Elevate Cybersecurity Toolkit for Schools (templates for cyber security policy and Incident Report Plan. And https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/education-skills/cyber-security-schools
The Key held a very important webinar for governors in Autumn term which we recommend every governor and a member of SLT to watch and action plan with Technical Support Provider.
The session described how Harris Multi-Academy Trust experienced a sophisticated cyber gang infiltrated the MAT’s systems through a phishing email and encrypted everything of value it could find, forcing the trust to shut down its entire computer network highlighting the importance of strategic IT infrastructure: back-ups, updates and robust, professional IT Systems including cloud and email for staff and governors. They refused to pay the huge ransom the hackers were demanding, but there were still significant costs of dealing with the situation. The story also featured on BBC Radio 4.
The webinar included these suggestions/points:
–Cyber security Strategy is part of the school’s objectives and risks, see Nation Cyber Security Centre And the school considers Cyber Cover Insurance
-Ensure all systems are backed up and all software updated regularly, (It is essential to have a Patching Policy in your school) and consider Multi-factor authentication for accessing systems
-Governors and SLT member to discuss resilience – disaster recovery plan, including ‘grab-bags’ containing essential print outs of paper documents.
-All staff Inc. Governors should have and use school email addresses
-An expert external organisation can do penetration tests of a school’s systems, including test phishing emails, but the costs of this can be very high.
Training: As part of LGfL subscription, schools have access to a platform that can simulate phishing emails so they can check their staff’s alertness to them and provides training and awareness raising.
Include policy on Reporting Unsolicited Emails ‘Report as SPAM’
–Document management: implement document retention policies in line with GDPR requirements so personal or sensitive information is not kept on your systems for longer than is strictly necessary.
Islington Computing 